Earlier this week I was fortunate enough to speak at the UPA Boston one-day conference and share ideas on social influence. The presentation, also available on SlideShare, bibliography, and interesting additional resources are available to help you explore a fascinating and timely topic.

On a rain soaked Wednesday a few weeks ago, I traded my desk in Manhattan for a sleek couch by the beach and attended Asbury Agile, a one day single-track conference for “makers and doers in the web industry” in nearby Asbury Park.

Continuing my exploration into events outside of the immediate domain of user experience design, I recently attended a panel discussion at New York University that examined the role of social tools in the Middle East and North African uprisings.